Lawn sprinkler



I. JEPSON LAWN SPRINKLER Nov. 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 3.1956 INVEETV'VOR. 1m $6076 VIII/ll i In Nov. 24, 1959 JEPSON 2,914,255

LAWN SPRINKLER Filed April 3, 195a s Sheets-Sheet 2 11111111!!! I II 1[III IIIIIII I INVENTOR.

Nbv. 24, 1959 I. JEPSON 2,914,255

LAWN SPRINKLER Filed April 3, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v LAWN SPRINKLERIvar Jepson, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago,111., a corporation of lilmois Application April 3, 1956, Serial No.575,881

12 Claims. (Cl. 239-242) This-invention relates generally to lawnsprinklers and more particularly to oscillating lawn sprinklers of thetype employing a horizontally disposed spray tube which is oscillatedabout its axis.

Lawn sprinklers having mechanical means for cyclically varying thedirection of the water spray produced thereby may be divided into thetwo broad categories of oscillating sprinklers and rotating sprinklers.There are certain advantages and disadvantages associated with eachcategory which may make one or the other type of sprinkler more suitableto a particular installation or application. The oscillating typesprinkler is provided with a horizontally extending spray tube which isadapted to 'be oscillated about its longitudinal axis. The tube isformed with longitudinally spaced spray orifices or nozzles whichproduce diverging streams of water which lie in a plane coincident withthe axis of the spray tube. The Width of the spray area covered by anoscillating sprinkler may be varied by changing the angle through whichthe spray tube oscillates. area is determined primarily by thedivergence of the spray nozzles but may be varied to some extent bychanging the rate of flow to the spray tube.

On the other hand, the rotary type 'of sprinkler employs oneor morespray nozzles which rotate about a vertical axis and direct the waterspray outwardly from this vertical .axis/ The rotary type sprinkler,therefore, covers a circular area, the size of which may be varied bychanging the angleof the nozzles relative to the vertical axis ofrotation. Because of the structural and functional features describedabove, the oscillating type sprinkler is best suited to the sprinklingof square or rectangular areas.

The location of the spray area relative to the oscillating sprinkler maybe displaced or centered on the sprinkler depending on the adjustment ofthe spray tube and its oscillating driving arm. In contrast, thecircular spray area of the rotating sprinkler is always centered on thesprinkler. The oscillating sprinkler is, therefore, often most desirablewhen it is necessary to place the sprinkler on the edge of the sprayarea so that new grass, flowers or the like will not be damaged intraversing the spray area to position the sprinkler.

Most of the oscillating sprinklers in use today are characterized by thefact that they have separate water impulsemotors to drive the spraytube. The rather complex drive structure of the impulse motor createsnumerous problemswhich are not present in the rotating or revolvingsprinklers wherein the reaction force at the spray nozzle is employed torotate the spray tube.

Conventionally, the oscillating type sprinkler comprises a housing fromwhich the spray tube extends and is provided with a hose connection bymeans of which a garden hose is attached to the housing for supplyingwater to the sprinkler. The sprinkler housing serves as a conduit todeliver the water received at the hose connection to the oscillatingspray tube where it is discharged through The length of the spray I ,2the diverging spraynozzles to cover the rectangular area as describedabove. The'impulse motor which provides the oscillatory drive for thespray tube is designed to utilize as a driving force at least a portionof the water flowing through the housing to the spray tube. To soutilizethis water flow, thedrive means of the impulse motor isconveniently positioned in the housing'adjacent to the water input orhose connection of the sprinkler. Impulse motors of the type found inoscillating sprinklers normally employ as a driving means, a toothed orbladed impeller wheel designed to rotate at-relatively high speed byvirtue of a water jet directed upon the teeth or blades of the wheel. vthe spray tube at fairly low velocities, means must be provided toconvert the high speed rotary motion of the impeller wheel to therelatively low speed oscillatory motion desired to be imparted to thespray tube. V

This reduction is conventionally accomplished through a series-of gearsor worms and gears. Many of the early pr-ior art sprinklers weredesigned with this reduc tion gearing positioned outside'of thesprinkler housing in either an exposed location or enclosed withinaseparate gear housing spaced from thesprinkler housing! In that thegearing must be adapted to connect the rotating impeller to themeans-for oscillating the spray tube, it is most convenient andeconomical to locatethe' gearing as close as possible to the impellerand the spray tube. The early prior art sprinklers described above werebulky and expensive in construction due to the position-'-' ing of thereduction gearing outside er the sprinkler housing. These early designsrepresented'an awkwardsolution to the problem of maintaining the gearingout of contact with the Water driving the impulse motor. Toinsureprolonged life and trouble-freeservice of an oscillatingsprinkler, somepractical means must be devised to present the waterassociated with the impeller wheel and the spray tube from contactingthe fairly intricate gearing mechanism of the impulse motor. 5

The commercial oscillating sprinklers now on the market embody designswhich have little or no means provided to prevent the water supplied tothe sprinkler from contacting and thereby corroding the reductiongearing. In the interests of economy, the gearing has been placed insidethe sprinkler housing so that it may be as close as possible to theimpeller and to the spray tube. No

means has been devised in these prior art sprinklers to seal thereduction gearing from the water driving the impulse wheel at the sametime taking advantage of the economies of enclosing the gearingandimpeller wheel in one unitary sprinkler housing. Experimentation andtesting has disclosed that it suitable protective means are notprovided, rust and corrosion soon renders the impulse motor inoperative.

Tests have also shown that a frequent source of malfunction in the priorart oscillating sprinkler is corrosion in the spray tube orifices ornozzles. The oscillating type sprinkler employs a fairly large number ofsmall spray orifices in order that good water distribution may beachieved. If the diameter of the orifices were increased and the numberdecreased, the spray would have a greatcr'tendency to erode the groundand would not properly soak the entire area being sprinkled. However,the small size of the orifices creates a problem as to small amounts ofcorrosion obstructing the flow therethrough. Aluminum has been found tobe the most desirable material from which to fabricate the spray tubeexcept from the standpoint of this corrosion problem. Many manufacturershave found it necessary to employ stainless steel nozzles which areinserted into the alu minum spray tube. It would be desirable thereforeif a unitary spray tube could be devised which would not Patented Nov.24, 1959 Inasmuch as it is desirable to oscillate be subject to nozzlecorrosion but at the same time would not require separate insertnozzles.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide animproved. sprinkler design wherein theimpulse motor'gearing ispositioned in a sealed chamber separate from the conduit portion throughwhich water is supplied to the spray tube.

It is another object of'this invention to provide a simplified sprinklerdesign wherein a one-piece housing member and a support member definetwo sealed chamberswithin one of'which the sprinkler drive gearing islocated.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a simplifiedconstruction for an oscillating sprinkler wherein only two structuralmembers are required to enclose the sprinkler drive mechanism and tosupport the spray tube for oscillatory movement.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a leak-proofbearingwhereby a rotatably supported shaft may extend between a fluidcontaining chamber and a moisture free chamber without any leakageoccuring from one chamber to the other.

It is a further object of thisinvention to provide a simplified methodof making a spray tube having integral spray nozzles formed therein.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds and the features ofnovelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisspecification.

'For a better understanding of the present invention,

reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the sprinkler of Fig. 1 with thedrive housing and mechanism shown in section and a portion of the spraytube and support cut away; i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along 'line 3'3 of Fig. 2 assuming thatFig. 2 shows a complete structure;

Fig. 4 is a sectional .View taken along line 44 of Fig. 2 assuming thatFig. 2 shows the complete structure;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view-taken along line 55 of Fig. 2 assuming thatFig. 2 shows a complete structure;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the drive housing and mechanism of thesprinkler embodying the presentinventionj Fig. 8 is a sectional viewtaken along line 8'-8 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view taken along'line 99 of Fig. 2 assumingthatFig. 2 shows the complete structure.

The present invention is concerned with an oscillating sprinkler of thetype wherein the water supplied to the sprinkler is directed through anozzle and impinges as a relatively high velocity jet on an impulsewheel which, through a gear reducing mechanism, drives a crank meanswhich is operatively connected to effect oscillation of a spray tube.The present invention involves the use of a one-piece gear housing and aone-piece'base assembled to provide a pair of sealed chambers in whichthe drive mechanism is positioned and a pair of supports for theoscillating spray tube. The housing member is of inverted cup shape andcooperates with a horizontal portion of the base member to form theabove mentioned sealed chambers. The shafts and gearing associated withthe impulse motor are all carried by bearings mounted either in thewalls of the housing member or in the base member. In order that therotation of the impeller wheel may be transmitted to the reductiongearing, the impeller wheel shaft extends through the wall which dividesthe housing member into twosealed chambers. A tvvo p art bearing mountedin the dividing wall supports the peller ivheel shaft and preventsleakage bet ween the chain- Fig. 1 is a side perspective of a sprinklerembodying her in which the impeller wheel is located and the chamberhousing the reduction gearing mechanism.

It should be understood that the present invention is of generalapplication and the specific disclosure with respect to an oscillatingsprinkler is by way of example only. In the particular applicationillustrated in the drawings, there is disclosed an oscillating sprinklerindicated generally by the numeral 12. The sprinkler comprises a base orsupport member 13 of generally L-shaped configuration having a pair ofhorizontally extending runners 13a and a vertically extending leg 13])which leg serves to support one end of a spray tube 23. At the end ofthe base 13 most distant from the spray tube support leg 13b, there isprovided a support plate 13c which connects the upper portions of therunners 13a. Mounted on the support plate is a motor housing 14 which isof a generally inverted cup shaped configuration and is provided withwater inlet and outlet openings as will be explained. "The 'side wallsof the housing abut'the support plate 1 3c'so' that the latter supportsthe housing 14 in'horizontal spaced relation to the spray tube supportleg 13b. The housing 14' serves to enclose the impulse motor and todefine conduit means through which water is supplied to the spray tube.There are two chambers and a water conduit passageway defined by thehousing member. One of the chambers contains the reduction gearing forthe impulse motor. The other chamber contains the impeller Wheel of theimpulse motor. The chamber containing the impeller is formed with aninlet opening and is in communication with the water conduit passageway.The housing supports one erid of the spray tube in the water passagewaywith the other end extending horizontally outwardly from the housing.The housing thus serves as a conduit means whereby water fiows throughthe impeller chamber and the water passageway to the spray tube Withoutcontacting the gear reduction portion of the impulse motor which iscontained in a separate portion of the housing. i

The motor housing 14 is provided with a pair of up wardly extendingrecesses 15 and 16. The recess 15, when sealed by the support plate 130,is considered to be the impulse chamber since it is the portion of thehousing which contains the impeller wheel. An opening 14:: provided inthe end wall of housing 14 is threaded to receive a suitable hosecoupling 18. The hose coupling 18 retains a nylon nozzle member 20 inpositionin the opening 14a. As can be readily observed in Fig. 9, the'nozzle 20 is fabricated with an annular flange 20a by means of which itis held between the hose coupling 18 and the side wall of housing 14.Extending outwardly and at an angle to the flange 26a is an elongatedorifice 20b which directs a jet or stream of incoming water against animpeller 21. The nozzle also contains a wall or web portion .200 on itsinner face which serves as a key or locating member. The key 20ccooperates with a keyway or slot on the housing 14 to accuratelyposition the nozzle 20. i

The impeller 21 is mounted within impulse chamber 15 adjacent nozzle 2%.The impeller 21 is'formed with a plurality of angularly disposed blades21a positioned around its periphery to provide torque when impinged uponby the water jet or stream entering impulse chairiber 15 through thenozzle orifice 20b. v The water, after passing through the nozzleorifice 20 and the chamber 15, flows through a water passageway 22formed in the housing 14 into the spray tube 23, one end of which ispivotally supported in the housing 14. Thus, the impulse chamber 15 andthe water passageway 22 act as a conduit formed in the housing member 14through which the input water passes from the hose coupling 18 to thespray tube 23. The impeller 21 is mounted for rotation on a horizontallydisposed shaft 24 which extends into the impulse chamber 15. With theimpeller 21"so mounted, the water stream entering through the nozzle '26and the nozzle orifice 20b impinges upon the blades 21ato cause rotationof the impeller and the impeller shaft 24. The rotation of the shaft 24is transmitted through a gear reducing means to an output shaft 33 whichis operatively connected to the spray tube 23 by crank means whichprovide the desired oscillatory motion of the spray tube.

The impeller shaft 24 has an end portion 24a of reduced diameter whichis threaded to receive an impeller assembly sleeve 25. The center of theimpeller 21.has a hole 21b formed therein to receive the sleeve 25. Theimpeller assembly sleeve 25 is provided with a peripheral flange 25awhich serves to support the impeller 21. The periphery of the sleeve 25is ring staked at 25b to retain the impeller in assembled relationagainst the flange 25:: on the. sleeve 25. To prevent leakage of waterfrom the impulse chamber 15 along the shaft 24 into the recess 16, agasket member 26. is gripped between the sleeve 25 and a bearing 34which rotatably supports impeller shaft 24. 1

The recess 16 in the housing member 14 is positioned immediatelyadjacent the impulse chamber 15 and when sealed by the support plate 13cmay be termed the drive chamber. In this manner the reduction gearingmechanism of the impulse motor is enclosed in a moisture-free chamber. Agasket member 27 is positioned between the support plate 130 and thebottom wall portions of housing member 14 in order to provide a goodmoisture seal for the drive chamber 16 and to prevent leakage fromimpulse chamber 15. A plurality of screws 28 are employed to intimatelyassemble the housing 14, the

gasket 27 and the support plate 13c. v

The instant invention is concerned in part with the detail below. A wormgear 31 is positioned on transmission shaft 30 for operative engagementwith the worm 24b.- The gear 31 is preferably formed of nylon and isfixed to shaft 30 by means of a taper pin 31' or, other suitable means.

A portion of the transmission shaft 30 below the gear 31 is providedwith a worm 30a cut directly into the shaft 30. To complete the gearreduction, a nylon gear 32 is provided for engagement with the worm 30a.The gear 32 is secured by means of a taper pin 32 or set screw to anoutput or crank shaft 33 which extends outside of the housing 14 and hasa crank arm 33a formed thereon by bending the end of the shaft at 33b ascanbe seen in Figs. 2 and 7. The crank arm 33a provides the oscillatorymovement for the spray tube 23 as explained below.

The impeller shaft 24, in addition to being journalled in the bearings34 is also supported in bearing cup 37' mounted in the outside wall ofhousing 14. In order that the impeller shaft 24 may be inserted into thesimplified cup-shaped housing 14, it is necessary that a re-" simplifiedmanner in which the water impulse motor is I mounted within the housing14 with the gearing parts thereof sealed against the entrance of waterfrom either impulse chamber 15 orwater passage 22. As can be seen inFig. 2, the impeller shaft 24 extends between the impulse chamber 15 andthe drive chamber 16. The chambers 15 and 16 are separated by a portionof housing 14 which defines a wall 14b. The impeller shaft 24 extendsthrough and is journalled in split bearings 34 mounted in a bore 14c inthe wall 14b. Because of the I pressure of the fluid in the impulsechamber 15, it is plate 130. By mounting: the bearing 41 directly in apornecessary to prevent leakage alongthe shaft '24 into 7 chamber 16.Gasket member 26 is designed to reduce any tendency toward leakage atbearing 34 but due to the inherent difficulty in maintaining goodsealing engagement between moving parts, an additional safeguard isprovided. Thus, in the interior of' wall 14b, a downwardly extendingpassageway 14d is formed which extends to the bottom of wall 14b. At itsupper end passageway 14d intersects with bore 140 as can be best seen inFigs. 2 and 6. In Fig. 2, it can be observed that the bearings 34 arespaced axially within bore 140 leaving an annular space 35 surroundingthe shaft 24. The space 35 and the downwardly extending passageway 14dact as a channel for any water leaking from impulse chamber 15. Any suchleakage flows downwardly into passageway 14d by gravity rather than intothe drive gear combinations as can be best seen in Fig. 7. The

impeller shaft 24 has a worm thread 24b cut directly in the portion ofthe shaft which extends into the drive chamber 16. Spaced to one side ofthe impeller shaft 24 is a transmission shaft vertically positioned withits upper end journalled in the housing 14 and its lower end journalledin the support plate 130 as described in movable bearing seat-38 beprovided for the bearing 37. g

The bearing seat 38 is threadedly received in a tapped hole Me in thewall of housing 14. To assemble the impeller shaft 24 to the housing 14,the impeller carried by the assembly sleeve 25 is first placed in therecess 15: The shaft 24 is then inserted through openings 14eand 14c andscrewed into assembled relation with the sleeve 25. The shaft 24 isprovided with a left hand thread so that in operation the impeller isrotated in a. direction which tends to tighten the threaded assembly.The hearing seat 38 may then be threadedly asembled to the housing 14.

Referring to Fig. 4, the simplified mounting of the transmission shaft30 can be seen. The housing 14 has a vertically extending bearing recess14 into which a suitable sleeve bearing 39 has been placed. A ball-typethrust bearing 40 is also provided to receive the reaction force onthe'shaft from the worm 30a. The lower end of the transmission shaft 35)is received in a cup bearing 41 which is pressed into an opening 42 inthe support:

tion of the supporting member 13, a reduction in parts and a simplifiedstructure results since the support mem ber 13 serves a multiplicity offunctions, acting as the main base for the sprinkler, the support forone end of the spray tube, the closure and sealing member for theimpulse chamber and drive chamber, and also as a hearing support for aportion of the reduction gearing.

The output shaft 33 is journalled in a pair of bearings 43 and 44- whichare pressed into suitable openings 45' and 46 respectively in opposedwall sections of the drivechamber 16. The crank end 334 of the outputshaft- 33 is pivotally connected to a flat connecting link 47 which? hasa hole 48 formed in its lower end to receive the crank 33a. To maintainthe connecting link 47' spaced from the bent portion 33b of the outputshaft 33, a plurality I of deformed portions 330 are provided whichprotrude from the periphery of the crank arm 33a. A pair of bearingwashers-49 are slideably received on the crank arm 33a on either side ofthe connecting link 47. Theinside diameter of the washers 49 is suchthat they will slide loosely on the crank arm 33a but will abut theprotruding deformations 33c. The protrusions 33c, therefore, limit themovement of the link 47 toward the bent portion 33b so that nointerference is created. An annular slot 50 is formed on the peripheryof the crank arm 33a adjacent its end. A C type snap washer 51 isreceived in assembled relation in the slot 50 to retain the bearingWashers 49 and the connecting link 47 on the crank arm 33a.

Attached integrally to one end of the spray tube 23 is an area controlsector 52. The area control sector 52. has a hub portion 52a having aninside diameter slightly larger than the spray tube to which it iswelded. The

mm s m s in a di io a o y po ion 5 12 hi is f ub a y an ul hap nd. eends o wardly from the spray tube at an angle perpendicular to the axisof the spray tube. The hub 52;; is located approximately at the apex ofthe triangular body portion 52b.' An arc shaped cutout 520 is formed inthe side of the body portion 52b opposite the portion carrying the hub52 1. 'The body portion 52b may be provided with suitable indiciaadjacent the cutout 52c as explained below. The cutout 52c provides ameans for varying the relative rotational positions of the crank arm 33aand the s y tube 2 B p o n h an a ju tment, the area sprayed by thesprinkler may be either centered on the sprinkler or displaced to oneside or the other of the axis of the spray tube. As can be seen in Fig.3, the sector 52 is provided with suitable indicia to aid in properadjustment of the spray area displacement con: trol means. Theindications, Left, Q, and Right designate the link positions fordisplacingthe spray area to the left, center or right respectively ofthe sprinkler.

To secure the connecting link 47 in a selected position in the cutout520, a bolt 54 and wing nut 55 are employed. The bolt 54 has a formedportion 54;: which is received in the cutout portion 52c and preventsrelative rotation of bolt 54 with respect to body portion 5212. Abearing member 56 is slideably received on the bolt 54 between theformed portion 54a and the wing nut 55. The bearing 56 has a peripheralflange 56a formed at one end thereof which is adapted to abut the bodyportion 52b of the control sector adjacent the cutout portion 520. Theconnecting link 47 contains a hole 471) in its upper end which isadapted to be loosely received on the hearing 56. Thus, by loosening thewing nut 55 the control sector 52 may be moved relative to the bolt 54to effect changes in the areas to be sprinkled. When the control sector52 and the bolt 54 are in the desired relative positions, the wing nutis tightened locking the control sector 52 between the head of bolt 54and the peripheral flange 56a of the bearing member 56.

The spray tube 23 of the instant invention is of noyel design employinga one-piece construction with formed nozzles projecting therefrom. Thespray tube 23. is fabricated of stainless steel but may be made of anyother suitable corrosion resistant material. One of the primary sourcesof malfunction in sprinklers has been corrosion and rust forming in thespray tube nozzles,- This problem has forced many sprinklermanufacturers to costly sprinkler tube designs wherein separatestainless steel nozzle members are assembled to an aluminum spray tube.The present invention provides a simple solution to this problem byproviding an inexpensive means of forming a one-piece stainless steelsprinkler tube with the spray nozzles extruded therein.

In making the tube 23, a rectangular stainless steel blank with a lengthequal to the desired length of the spray tube and a width equal to thecircumference of the spray tube is secured. Employing an extrusion die,the nozzles 23a are all formed on the longitudinal center line of therectangular blank in one operation. Each die pierces a hole 23b andforms an outwardly extending nozzle portion 230 as can be readily seenin Fig. 8. After the nozzles are formed, the rectangular blank is rolledto a tubular shape by any of the well known tube forming processes. Theabutting edges of the blank are then welded as indicated by numeral 23din Fig. 8. After the nozzles have been extruded and the tube has beenwelded, it is bent to assume the desired shape shown in Fig. 1. In thebending operation, the nozzles 23a are. maintained so that they extendradially from the axis of curvature of the tube and the ends of the tubeare provided with axially aligned bearing portions23e. Afterestablishing the radius of curvature of the tube, i t issometimes'desirable to realign the nozzle openings. This realignment isaccomplished by inserting rods into the openings 23b and bending thenozzles until the aligning of the water passage 22 described above.

- a closure member 57 threadedly assembled therein.

The other end of the spray tube 23 is received in a sealed bearing inthe housing member 14. To receive the sealed bearing, the housing 14 isprovided with a shouldered opening 141 which is positioned at the end Anannular gasket member 53 is positioned in the opening 14 The centralopening 58a in the gasket member 58 slideably receives the bearingportion 23a of the spray tube 23. The gasket member SS is retained inthe shouldered opening 14 by means of a bearing retaining plate 59. Thebearing retaining plate 59 is a flat plate of oval configuration withsuitable fastening means 60 located in the ends of the oval for afiixingthe bearing retaining plate to the housing 14, The center of theretaining plate 59 has a hole 59a formed therein to receive the spray Pp 23- A sealing ring 61 on the end of spray tube 23 consists of anannular flange having a larger external diameter than the bearingsurface 23c. It should be understood that when water is flowing into thespray tube 23 an axial thrustwill be produced in the spray tube in adirection away from the housing 14. This thrust tends tov force thesealing ring 61 into engagement with the gasket member 58 andpreventsleakage along the bearing surface 232 The retaining plate 59serves to counteract the force on the spray tube retaining ring 61 andmaintains the gasket 58 in position in the opening 14 The bearingcomprising the sealing ring 61, the gasket 58 and the retaining plate 59provides an effective seal for a comparatively low friction journalbearing.

In reviewing the operation of the sprinkler, it should be understoodthat a garden hose or other suitable water supply means is connected tothe coupling 18. When water is delivered to the sprinkler through thecoupling 18, it is discharged at high velocity from the nozzle 2011 intocontact with the blades 21a of the impeller. The force exerted by thejet of water directed by the nozzle 20b causes the impeller 21 to rotateat a rapid rate.

The water which causes rotation of impeller 21 fills the impulse chamber15 and then flows through the passageway 22 to the open end of spraytube 23. After the spray tube 23 has become completely filled, water isdischarged from all of the spray nozzles 23a. The care ful alignment ofthe nozzles 23a so that their axes are coplanar and extending radiallyfrom the axis of curve ture of spray tube 23 resultsin the water beingdistributed uniformly over the area being sprayed.

Upon rotation of the impeller 21 the impeller sha 24, and worm gear 241;are similarly rotated. The gear 31 which is keyed to the transmissionshaft 30 is engaged by the worm gear 24b and transmits rotary motion tothe transmission shaft 30. A substantial reduction; takes place betweenthe rate of rotation of impeller shaft 24 and the rate of rotation oftransmission shaft 30 by reason of the reduction achieved drivingthrough the worm 24b and worm gear 31.

The second gear reduction accomplished by the gear train 29 is producedby the worm 304 which rotates integrally with the transmission shaft 30in engagement with the nylon worm gear 32 Gear 32, which; is keyed tothe output or crank shaft 33, rotates the latter in re- I link 47 ispivotally joined to the area control sector 52 by bolt 54. The point ofpivotal connection between the link 47 and the sector 52 determines thelever arm which effects the oscillation of spray tube 23 about its axis.Thus, upon rotation of the output shaft 33, the bottom portion ofconnecting link '47 moves in a circular path while the upper portion atthe pivot point oscillates back and forth along an are having its centerof curvature coincident with the axis of rotation of the spray tube. Asthe upper portion of the connecting link 47 describes this path, itoscillates the spray tube 23 through an angle equal to the angledescribed by the upper pivot of the connecting link. It should be clearthat by varying the position of the pivotal connection between theconnecting link '47 and the area control sector 52. it is possible todisplace the spray area to one side or the other of the sprinkler.

Although there has been described and illustrated a specific embodimentof the present invention, it will be understood that various changes andmodifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is aimed inthe appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

l. A lawn sprinkler comprising a one-piece cup-shaped housing, a supportplate secured to said housing and closing the mouth thereof, saidhousing having an integral Wall dividing said housing into an impulsechamber and a drive chamber, said housing having an inlet orificecommunicating with said impulse chamber, a drive shaft journalled insaid housing and extending through said integral wall, impeller meanssecured to said drive shaft and positioned to be rotated by fluidentering said orifice, a water spray tube mounted for oscillatorymovement in said housing and in communication with said impulse chamber,reduction gears mounted in said drive chamber and driven by said driveshaft, an output shaft journalled in opposed walls of said drive chamberand driven by said reduction gears, and means operatively connectingsaid output shaft and said spray tube for converting rotary motion ofsaid output shaft into oscillatory motion of said spray tube.

2. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said output shaft extendsoutside of said housing for connection with said spray tube, and theinner end of said output shaft being journaled in a bearing received ina recess in said integral dividing wall.

3. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft is journaledin said integral dividing wall and in an outer wall of said drivechamber, said outer wall having a threaded opening for receiving acup-shaped member which supports one end of said drive shaft.

4. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein a portion of said reductiongears are secured to a transmission shaft which is journaled forrotation in opposed bearings mounted in recesses in said support plateand in said housing.

5. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said support plate is providedwith a drain opening therein to permit water leaking from said impulsechamber to drain from said housing.

6. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said reduction gearingcomprises a nylon gear secured to a transmission shaft, said nylon gearin driven engagement with a worm formed integrally with said driveshaft, 3. second worm formed integrally with said transmission shaft indriving engagement with a second nylon gear secured to said outputshaft.

7. The lawn sprinkler of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft is journalledin a pair of spaced bearings mounted in said integral wall, saidintegral wall having a passageway extending from the portion of saiddrive shaft be tween said bearings to the outside of said housing.

8. The lawn sprinkler of claim 7 having a one-piece base including apair of parallel horizontally extending runners, said support plateconnecting said runners at one end and an integral spray tube bearingsupport conmeeting the other end of said runners.

9. A lawn sprinkler comprising a one-piece inverted cup-shaped housing,a horizontally extending support plate secured to said housing andclosing the month thereof, said housing having a vertically extendingintegral wall dividing said housing into an impulse chamber and a drivechamber, said housing having an inlet orifice in communication with saidimpulse chamber, impeller means mounted for rotation in said impulsechamber and positioned to be rotated by fluid entering said orifice, awater spray tube mounted for oscillating movement in said housing and incommunication with said impulse chamber, a drive shaft mounting saidimpeller means and extending through said integral wall, spaced bearingsfor said drive shaft in opposed walls of the portion of said housingdefining said drive chamber, reduction gears mounted in spaced bearingsin said drive chamber in driven relationship to said drive shaft, one ofsaid reduction gear bearings being carried by said plate and the otherbeing carried by the upper wall of said drive chamber, an output shaftjournalled in opposed walls of the portion of said housing defining saiddrive chamber and driven by said reduction gears, and means operativelyconnecting said output shaft and said spray tube for converting rotarymotion of said output shaft to oscillatory motion of said spray tube.

10. The lawn sprinkler of claim 9 wherein one of said spaced bearingsfor said drive shaft is cup-shaped and is received in an opening in anouter wall of said drive chamber.

11. The lawn sprinkler of claim 9 wherein said support plate is providedwith a drain opening therein to permit water leaking from said impulsechamber to drain from said housing.

12. The lawn sprinkler of claim 9 wherein saiddrive shaft is journalledin a pair of spaced bearings mounted in said integral wall, saidintegral wall having a passageway extending from the portion of saiddrive shaft between said bearings to the outside of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,454,844 Campbell May 15, 1923 2,202,898 Caputo -1 June 4, 19402,306,945 Hebron Dec. 29, 1942 2,546,241 Squiers Mar. 27, 1951 2,673,122Wehner Mar. 23, 1954 2,676,842 Squires Apr. 27, 1954 2,808,292 GladstoneOct. 1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 252,070 Italy Feb. 19, 1927 278,009 ItalySept. 26, 1930

